Smallville: Super Boy Chronicles Hear No Evil
by Chris Paragon
Summary: Smallville, one step closer to becoming Superman. Set after the first season of Smallville, but becoming an AU with Chloe and Clark together. New Chapter 6 up. I know it has been a long time, don't kill the writer. Reviews are much appreciated.
1. Crash

Smallville : Superboy Chronicles

1.01

Clark wakes up to the loud scream of help. He blinks his eyes and searches with room quickly, then he x-rays the house to see if it was his parents. Nothing. Yet he could have sworn that he heard a cry for help. He shrugs it off as a figment of his imagination. He gets up, gets dressed in less than a blink of an eye, and goes downstairs.

"Morning, Clark," Mrs. Kent said cheerfully, bright as ever in the morning.

"Morning, Mom," Clark said, drowsy from just waking up. "Where's Dad?"

"Out feeding the animals, which you should be doing."

"Sorry about that. I'll be back in five minutes."

Clark sprints out the door at superhuman speed, and in a matter of seconds is across the field where his dad, Jonathan Kent, is. Clark picks up a bale of hay, effortlessly as if it were a piece of paper, and tosses it over for the cows to eat. Jonathan sits to take a breather, while his son does the rest of the work. Clark then feeds the rest of the animals and finishes the chores. He then comes back and walks with his dad and talks, as was their normal routine. They discuss things on their mind, sports, the weather, and the plans they have for the week.

"Clark, I was thinking. What would you say to going up to see the Metropolis Sharks play the Gotham Knights?" asked Jonathan.

"That'd be cool, Dad. I'd love to go." replied Clark.

"Then we are set. I'll get the tickets." Just then a bus started to pull away. "You'd better run. Your school bus just pulled away."

"Shoot. See you later. Tell Mom bye for me."

"Will do."

Clark sprints in to the house, fast as a bullet and grabs his school gear and lunch and runs off to school, and arrives long before his bus arrives at school. But he again hears a cry for help, this time a different voice. He scans the area and x-rays, but still finds nothing

Opening Sequence.

"Hey Clark, what's wrong? You look a little intense." Chloe chimed as she walked up to Clark, who was in the middle of scanning for the person who called for help.

"Huh?" Clark said, realizing someone was talking to him. He goes back to normal sight to see Chloe standing, holding her books in an ever so cute way. He smiles.

"I said 'Hey Clark, what's wrong? You look a little intense.'" she repeated playfully, a smile on her face.

"Oh. Nothing."

"What, were you looking at Lana?" she pointed over towards Lana.

"No. I thought I heard my name from some where over there, and was trying to see who it was."

"Was it . . . Lana?" she teased Clark over his previous crush.

"Funny, Chloe, real funny."

"You know I love ya anyways." Chloe kissed Clark on the nose in her usual manner. Ever since the formal earlier that month, they had been an item.

Just then, Pete walked up, holding a letter in his hand. He came up to Clark and Chloe, looking down trodden.

"What's up, Pete? You look like you just lost the world series." Clark asked

"It feels like that. My dad got hit by a car this morning on the way to work. He died on the way to the hospital."

"Oh. God. Pete." Chloe could barely choke out the words. Tears began flowing down before Pete finished, and she hugged him and held him close. Pete began to cry, Clark put his arm around Pete. The three just stood there, in quiet silence. Lana sees this and walks up, wondering what has the three so touchy-feely.

"Hey, Clark. Chloe. What is up?" Lana inquired sincerely. Chloe looked up, the tears clearly visible on her face. Clark also looked up, his eyes red with unshed tears. Lana then saw Pete crying, something she knew did not come easy from Pete.

"What happened?"

"My dad was killed in an accident a few hours ago. He left early so he could be home early to surprise my mother with a second honeymoon. A car hit him head-on. The other driver was drunk, after a late night of partying. He was killed as well." Pete regained enough composure to say it, but then broke down again.

"Pete, I think you should go home. Your mother needs you right now. You shouldn't be here." Clark said.

"Yeah, I'll take you home." Chloe said, drying her tears.

"Thanks, Chloe." Pete hugged her as they walked to her car.

Scene 2:

Lex is at his mansion, reading through reports on his plant. As expected, he was running at optimal performance and maximizing the profit of his plant. He tosses the reports aside, and picks up his bottle of water, and clicks on CNN. The lead story is Luthor Corp's downsizing of middle America plants, starting with Kansas and Minnesota. Lex turns off the TV, and swigs his water.

"Great, Dad. You really want me to fight you on the battlefield. Fine. You have war." he said to himself. He threw the bottle across the room, breaking the glass mirror.

Clark walked home with Lana, something they have not done since he and Chloe were he and Chloe. But this was a special time and Lana knew Clark was not himself, his best friend was in pain and he couldn't help. Clark hated that feeling, and Lana was the only one he would confide in when that happened. Not even Chloe could bring him out of those funks. Lana was always reasonable and was always prepared to comfort Clark in these times.

"So how are you doing, Clark?" she asked sincerely.

"Okay, I guess. But Pete's dad has always been like a second father to me. I was always welcome in his house, and his dad always was ready with a clever joke or an amusing story. I remember going fishing with him one day. We had the most fun. Pete caught his first trout that day."

"That's a nice memory." Lana said, looking at Clark in her caring manner, wanting to help Clark out of his sadness.

"But life goes on." Clark said, trying to cheer himself up.

"Yes it does. And this will make you stronger. And Pete, too." She said reassuringly.

They walked up to Lana's doorstep, She turned before she walked in and said

"I am here for you, rain or shine. Especially when it rains. And if you ever need a hug or a shoulder, I am just across the road." She hugged him, and he hugged back. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, and let go.

"Thanks, Lana. You really helped me. More than I could ever repay." Clark said back.

"Sure you can repay, just give me $50 and we'll call it even." Lana quipped with her sense of humor.

"Fifty bucks? I could have called Miss Cleo for cheaper." Clark laughed back as he walked off towards his house. He was already in a better mood.

Just as he was walking back, he heard a blood-curdling scream for help. Clark immediately Scanned the area, going straight to x-ray. Nothing.

Scene 3:

Pete is at home, staring at a wall, tears rolling down his cheeks. His mother walks in, cautiously. She walks over and puts a hand on his shoulder, and stares with him. Her tears have stopped, the mother setting in as the wife fades out. She looks at the wall as though it wasn't there. She is contemplating how Pete will get through this, and how she can help.

"Can I get you some dinner, honey?" she asks, her mother voice in full swing.

"No thank you. I am not hungry." Pete says, never looking away from the wall.

"Okay. If you want something later, just ask. I'll cook it for you." she says, her worry starting to seep in, she hates to see him so sad and depressed.

"Thanks, Mom. But I'll be fine." Pete said, chancing a look at his mother. He looked so young and innocent, almost as if he never grew up past age six. His look almost made her cry again. She walked out, nearly in tears. But she stopped herself. She had to be strong for Pete.

The phone rang. She walked over and picked it up, saying hello as cheerfully as she could muster.

"Hi, Mrs. Ross. This is Clark Kent."

"Oh hi Clark. How are you doing?"

"Fine, ma'am. How are you doing?"

"I am doing a little better, but Pete is still not himself. I was hoping one of Pete's friends would call. Maybe you could cheer him up."

"I'll try my best."

"Hold on a minute. I'll see if he can talk."

"Alright."

She looked into the room, but Pete was not there. She picked up the cordless and went searching for him. She went upstairs, but he wasn't in his room. She looked out his window, and saw him, sitting on the rusted swing set his dad built for him when he was five. She put the phone to her ear.

"Clark?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Maybe you should try again later. He is outside, reliving memories."

"Okay, tell him I called and that I will visit him tomorrow."

"I sure will. Thank you for your concern Clark."

"You're welcome."

She hung up the phone, and stared out the window. The sun was setting and she marveled at it. She then walked downstairs and outside, and sat by her son. They watched the sun set, and listened to the silence.

Scene 4:

Clark is at home, studying, when he hears a scream. He shifts to x-ray vision and searches for the scream. Again he sees nothing. He decides mentally to talk to his parents about it. He closes his book, and walks downstairs.

"Mom? Dad?"

"Yeah, Clark?" his dad said.

"I have been hearing things lately."

"Like what?" his mother asked.

"Screams. Cries for help. But I can never find where they are coming from. Am I going crazy?"

"No Clark. You're not crazy. When did this start happening?" his mother said

"This morning. I heard a scream for help, and I looked around the room. Then I x-rayed to see if it was one of you guys. But I found nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"That is strange Clark. But stranger things have happened." his mom said

"Don't I know it. But what do I make of it?"

"I don't know Clark. Could it be one of your powers?" his Dad asked.

"Like what? Telepathy?"

"Maybe. Can you read our thoughts? What am I thinking right now?"

Clark concentrates, trying to force himself to read his mother's mind. He gets nothing.

"I can't. You sure I am not crazy?"

"You're not crazy Clark. Could it be your hearing? You always had great hearing. I remember times you could hear me over that stereo of yours, when it was full blast." his mother said.


	2. Rescue

*Please refer to first chapter for previous part of conversation. Sorry, I thought I had this part in already.*

(cont. from chapter 1)

"Yeah. Maybe." said Clark.

"If it happens again, come tell us. We'll figure this out somehow." said his father.

"I will. Thanks, you guys are always there for me."

"And we always will be." said his father.

The phone rings. Martha Kent answers the phone, it's Chloe.

"Hey, Mrs. Kent. Is Clark there?" Chloe asked, trying her best to hide her sadness.

"Yeah, he is." Martha said. "Paging Knight in Shining Armor!" she said, to Clark in the other room, "Your damsel in distress is waiting!"

Chloe giggled at Clark's mom's call for her son. It was the first time she had giggled, or even cracked a smile all day. It felt good.

"Coming, mom!" he came into the room, and gave his mom a kind-hearted glare, it made his mom smile. He retrieved the phone.

"Yeah, babe?" he said, inaudibly shooing his mother out of the room.

"Hey, honey. How are you feeling?" she asked, just happy to hear his voice.

"I'm feeling alright. But I am still sad. I wish it hadn't happened."

"Me too. When I took Pete home, he was crying his yes out. I had to stop the car a few times, because I cried also. I held his hand when we drove, and when we stopped, we held each other. I stayed home because I couldn't stop crying." Chloe said, her emotions beginning to resurface.

"Chloe?" Clark asked

"Yes?" She said as she wiped her eyes.

"I love you. And we will get through this. All of us."

"I love you, too, Clark. Have you talked to Pete today?"

"No. I tried calling, but his mom said he was outside , reliving memories. I am planning on going over there tomorrow to see him. You wanna come with?"

"Yes. What time?"

"I was going to go right after school. I'll pick you up from the Torch."

"Okay. I have to go. I have a ton of Torch stuff to do, and the news never sleeps. I love you and I'll see you tomorrow." she said, feeling better from talking with Clark.

"Love you too. Bye" He hung up the phone. He went back upstairs, to finish studying and get some sleep.

Scene 5:

The next day at school went by pretty quick. Pete wasn't there, his seat noticeably empty. Chloe couldn't concentrate in class, her thoughts on Pete. Clark was the same, his gym class felt empty, his friend not there to tease him about running. 

The final bell for school rang, and Chloe headed for her car. Clark walked out to meet her, but stopped dead in his tracks when he heard a scream. He scanned the area with x-ray, and saw nothing as usual. But then the same voice cried out again. This time Clark concentrated on it, and figured out the direction it came from. He looked at Chloe, making sure she hadn't seen him, then ran over around the corner of the building. He looked around and made sure no one was watching, then he ran off in the direction of the scream. He ran at superhuman speed, focusing on the scream. It came again, and he followed it.

He ended up in downtown Smallville. He slowed down as to appear normal, still focused on the sound. He heard it again and saw a woman being taken into an alley, struggling against two men. He looked around and saw no one watching, and he ran as fast as he could to the alley. He arrived and the assailants looked up, smiling at Clark.

"What are you going to do, tough guy?" one of the men said.

"Let her go." Clark said sternly.

"Or what? You gonna hit me with your book bag?" He said, mocking Clark's appearance.

"I said, let her go." Clark said, this time much more angry.

"Uh oh. Schoolboy here is getting mad. Joey, take care of him." the other man said, attempting to rape the young woman.

Joey rushed Clark, attempting to tackle him. When he neared Clark, he tried to grab him. When he closed his hands, all he grasped was air.

"Huh?" the man grunted.

"I think you were looking for me." Clark said, behind the man. The man turned around, bewildered. But it only lasted a second when Clark hit him, sending the man into the street. The man was unconscious when he hit the pavement.

"Hey, Joey, you through with the boy yet?" the remaining man asked, oblivious to what just occurred.

"He won't be able to answer you , at least not for awhile." Clark said, menacingly.

"Wha…?" It was all the man could muster to say, before he was hit, knocked out cold from Clark's punch. The young woman had her eyes closed the entire time, afraid to open them and see her coming fate. Clark kneeled down to her level and said:

"Are you alright, ma'am?" putting his arm on her shoulder in a caring way.

The woman opened her eyes, looking for her would-be assailants. She saw them, one lying in front of her, out cold, the other slumped in the street.

"What happened?" she asked, wondering to herself how a young man like Clark took on and defeated two large and muscular men like that with no help.

"I saw them pick you up and take you in here, and I heard you screaming, so I ran in and took care of them." Clark said, matter-of-factly.

"How did you take care of them?" she asked, her eyes looking Clark up and down.

"It's not important. You need any help getting up or to your car or anything?" Clark asked, making sure she could stand.

"No I think I can get there on my own steam now." she smiled at Clark, then said " Thanks, I thought I was a goner there. What's your name?"

"Clark, ma'am. Clark Kent."

"Thank you again, Clark." She walked off towards her car, and drove away.

As soon as she pulled away, and Clark was sure she couldn't see, he sprinted back towards home. When he got there he found his father working on the wood chipper. He had to tell him what he just did, he felt so good when he saved that woman.

"Dad!?!" Clark yelled over the chipper's noise.

"What!?!?" his dad yelled back, switching off the motor as he spoke.

When the noise died down, Clark said "You know those screams that I keep hearing?"

"Yeah? You heard them again?"

"Yeah, but I am not going crazy. It was a person in trouble, and I followed the voice till I found the person, and it was a woman who was being attacked by these two men, I think they were trying to rape her, and I saved her." he said, talking rapidly like a two-year-old who saw a cool movie.

"Whoa, slow down, Clark. How did you save her?" he asked, going straight into protection mode, worried that his son may have let his powers slip and unknowingly letting out the secret.

"I hit one of the men into the street, knocking him unconscious. And the other I hit in the head, knocking him unconscious right there."

"Did the woman see you? What did the men think?"

"The woman didn't see me, and the men I don't think knew what happened. I didn't stay to check on them."

"Clark, if they remember anything, we could be in big trouble. I know the police won't be after us, because they would have to explain what happened, and what they were doing there. But they could try to hurt one of us to get to you. Remember what happened with that cop?"

"Yeah, I remember. But still, I saved her life. I think I did the right thing."

"I know you did. Just be careful." his dad said, starting the wood chipper again.

"Thanks, Dad!" Clark yelled over the chipper, his dad waving back.

Clark then went inside to relate the news to his mom, grabbing an apple on his way into the living room. His mom was in the back doing laundry. Clark plopped on the couch, eating his apple.

"Hey, mom."

"Clark? Chloe just called and asked where you were. I said I didn't know, that you hadn't gotten back from school yet."

"Shoot, I completely forgot. We were supposed to go see Pete together. Where's the phone?"

"Over there, on the charger. What were you doing that you had to blow this off?" his mother asked.

"I was saving a woman's life, I'll tell you once I get a hold of Chloe." he said, while he dialed her home phone.

"Oh." his mother said, in shock at the calmness of his answer. She walked towards the kitchen, to busy herself while she waited for Clark to get off the phone.

Clark waited, as the phone rang. Someone finally picked up."

"Chloe?" Clark said, assuming she would have picked up

"No, this is her mother, Clark."

"Oh sorry, Mrs. Sullivan. Is Chloe there?"

"No, Clark. She went over to Pete's already."

"Ok thanks."

"Your welcome. Bye."

"Bye."

He hung up the phone, picking up his books and other things. He started for the door, but his mother stopped him.

"Where you going?"

"Pete's. Chloe is already there, and I was supposed to pick her up."

"Ok, you'd better go, she won't be too happy. But when you get back, you have to tell me what happened."

"Ok. See you later." Clark went out the door to the truck, and drove off, speeding to get to Pete's.


	3. Lying

Scene 6

Clark pulled up to Pete's house and ran up to the door. He knocked softly, and waited until it was answered. He looked at his watch, checking to see how late he was. It was 4:15. 'Only an hour and fifteen minutes late' Clark thought to himself sarcastically. Just then the door opened, bringing Clark back to reality. When he looked at who answered, he struggled to find words. It was Chloe, with a none too pleased look on her face.

"Clark, you're an hour and a half late. I waited at the school for you to pick me up. When you didn't, I took my car and came over here. Pete asked where you were, and I told him you were right behind me. As the time ticked on, I saw the hurt in his eyes come out. You really screwed up here, Clark. Where were you? And this better be good." Chloe said, barely containing her rage.

After a long pause, Clark said "I forgot."

He knew he should tell her the truth, but she still did not know his secret. If he told her the truth, she would be even more angry, thinking it was a lame excuse.

"You forgot?!? You forgot? How could you have forgotten? His dad died yesterday!" Chloe yelled as quietly as she could, hoping Pete didn't hear her. "You can't even come up with a better excuse than that? God." She put her hand to her forehead, looking away from Clark. She was about ready to strangle him. "Go in there and talk with him, like you said you would. I am going to stay out here."

"Okay." was all Clark could muster to say. He walked through the door, and put on the best smile he could fake, and sat down by Pete. They talked guy talk, and other superficial things. Chloe stood outside, the door closed behind her. 

She was so angry at Clark, she could scream. 'How could he do this to Pete? And me? I lied to help Clark out, in hopes he would only be a few minutes behind me. That bastard.' Chloe thought to herself. 'I would leave, but it would probably hurt Pete's feelings. Shit. I can't believe Clark pulled this. On Pete, none the less.' Chloe stood outside a little while longer, regaining her composure. She then walked in the house, and painted the best smile she could on her face. She sat next to Clark, despite her anger towards him. About an hour later, Clark and Chloe got up to leave, they had homework waiting and, unbeknownst to Pete, Clark and Chloe had a lot of talking to do. Pete thanked them for coming over, his feelings already brightening because his friends cared enough to see him and help him through this.

Once outside, Chloe immediately slammed Clark again.

"I can't believe you! You did this to Pete, and on the worst day you could possibly do it. I'm just glad he was still happy that you came. I don't think he would be able to forgive you if you hadn't shown up at all. Neither could I. And I know that 'I forgot.' excuse was bullshit. Why were you really late?" Chloe glared at him, her eyes like daggers poised for the kill.

"I told you. I forgot, and then when my mom told me you called, I remembered and floored it over here." Clark hated lying to her, especially when the truth would get him out of hot water faster than he could run. But he would have to tell her his secret, which he was not ready to do.

"Fine. Go along with your excuse. But I know you are lying." She got in her car with that, slammed the door, and sped off, before Clark could say anything.

Clark watched her drive off, hating himself. He wished he could tell her the truth, but she wouldn't understand. He turned towards the truck, climbed in, and shut the door. He started the engine and drove home. As he was driving, he replayed the events of that afternoon. The rescue, his "talk" with Chloe, and his time with Pete. Pete showed no signs of being hurt by his tardiness, but Pete was also very good at hiding his feelings. He saved a woman's life, but at the cost of his friends' feelings and trust. He knows he did the right thing, but he still feels guilty that he abandoned the people he cared about.

He arrived at his house just after sunset. He walked in the door with his shoulders slumped, his typical look of guilt and remorse. His mother was cooking dinner, so she didn't notice his appearance. She heard the screen door slam, and called behind her:

"So how did you save this woman's life?" she asked

"Huh?" Clark said, coming out of deep thought.

"I said how did you save this woman's life?" she repeated, turning to face Clark.

"Oh. I heard those voices, and I followed them. Can we not talk about this right now?" he said, walking towards the stairs to his room.

"Why what happened?" she said, noticing his guilty features and attitude.

"Me and Chloe had a fight." Clark said, wanting to end the conversation right there.

"Over you being late?"

"Yeah."

"Well, what did you say that caused the fight?" she asked.

"I said I forgot about going over to Pete's."

"Uh oh."

"Yeah."

"But when we fought, she made me look at the decision I made. Though see didn't know why I was late, she argued whether what I did was worth hurting her and Pete. I know I did the right thing, saving that woman, but look at the cost. I almost lost my friendship with Pete, and made a serious mistake with Chloe."

"Clark, you did the right thing. Unfortunately these were the consequences. But they can be fixed. That woman could have died, and that you can't fix. No matter how fast you are, or how strong. You made the right choice." she said, hugging her son.

"I know, but I still feel bad."

"You will get over it, and so will Chloe. Pete will too. It will just take time."

"Thanks, mom."

"Now go wash up. Dinner will be ready in ten minutes." She turned him towards the bathroom, rubbing his hair.

After dinner, Clark went upstairs, taking the phone with him. He was going to try and smooth things over with Chloe. He dialed her number, her own line, but he got the answering machine. He waited for the beep, then left a message for her to call him back. He then walked over to his bed and collapsed on it, staring at his ceiling. He replayed the events again in his head, and tried to figure out how he was going to get Chloe to forgive him. After about an hour, he got up and walked over to his computer. He had to get his mind off of Chloe. He began surfing, checked a few sites out of mild interest.

Just then, Chloe appeared on instant messenger. Clark stopped and stared at the window for a while, contemplating whether he should talk to her, or wait until she called. She obviously knew he was on, so she knew that he saw her as well. He decided to try a simple 'hello', to see if she even wanted to speak with him. So he typed hello into the window and waited for a response.

At Chloe's house, in her room, Chloe sat, contemplating what to do about Clark. He just IM'd her, saying 'hello'. She was still angry at Clark, angry because he "forgot" about seeing Pete, which she knew from past experience was a lie. Clark never could tell a good lie. It was always written on his face. But he was good at hiding stuff when he was lying. You always knew he was lying, but the truth rarely surfaced unless he told it. But she knew it was for a reason, he rarely told lies unless there was a reason. She decided to say 'hi' back, but she was not going to let him apologize over the net. He was not getting off that easy. He had to tell her the truth face to face.

In Clark's room, he waited for a reply. It had been five minutes since he IM'd, but she does have a lot of friends on instant messenger. _I hope she doesn't hate me. I wish I could tell her the truth. But she might think I was a freak, and run away. She would tell others, and I wouldn't be safe. My mom and dad . . . _His thoughts were interrupted by a ping. It was Chloe IM'ing him. She said 'hi.' Clark typed back 'how was school today?' He was trying to keep it low key. He wanted to get her into a better mood and talk through this.

Chloe read the question. _He must be keeping it light, trying to test the waters, I guess._ she thought about what to say. She could be direct and try to get the truth out that way. Or she could try and lure it out. But when she tried luring it out, it had mixed results. It took so long and sometimes she never did get the whole story. She decided the direct approach would work best and typed 'call me in five minutes. We need to talk.'

Back in Clark's room, he saw the message he both dreaded and had been wanting since yesterday. He typed back 'ok' and logged off. He then started to think _"What am I going to say? I am just going to lie to her again. At least she won't be able to see my face, so it will be a little easier."_ After about seven minutes, he called her phone. She picked up on the first ring.

"Clark?"

"Yeah. It's me. I know your pissed at me . . ."

"That is an understatement if I ever heard one." Chloe interrupted.

"But I am sorry."

" 'Sorry' is not what I want to hear. I heard sorry before and it did nothing for me. I want to know what happened."

"I forgot. That is the truth." Clark tried his excuse again, hoping she would believe him.

"Bullshit. I know you didn't forget. You never forget things, especially something this huge. Tell me." She stamped her foot on the floor, ticked off even more now.

Clark paused, thinking of what excuse he could give that was believable.

"Chloe…." He didn't even finish his sentence when a cry for help rang through his ears like a foghorn.

"Yes?" Chloe said, expecting at least some inkling of truth.

There was no answer, because Clark was frozen by the cry for help.

"Clark?" Chloe asked, waiting for a response. 

"CLARK!" she screamed

"Huh?" Clark said, snapping back from the cry.

"You were about to say something."

"Oh. Um…. Chloe? I have to go. " He said, readying to help that person he heard.

"Not until you tell me what you were doing today!" Chloe yelled at him. _He isn't getting out of this that easy. _She thought.

He thought for a second, for the best excuse he could in that second.

"I skipped seventh and went and played pool at Lex's."

"What?" she said, confused.

"I'll explain later. I have to go, bye." He hung up just as the voice called out again, and he ran out the door, tracking the voice.

Chloe looked at the phone, stunned at both his reason and at his hang-up.

"He is so dead when I get a hold of him."

TBC


	4. Be a hero or be a lover?

Sorry I have not written for a while. Lots of college stuff to do.

But here is the next installment of this episode.

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Clark sped down the road, a blur in the fading light. He listened intently for more cries.

"HELP!" came the cry.

Clark then changed direction and followed the echo. His speed made it easy to pinpoint the cry, because the sound was slower than him. The echo brought him back to main street Smallville. The only difference this time was that it was busy. The street was semi crowded, not very, but it meant he couldn't use his speed. Clark slowed to a jog and used his x-ray vision to look in buildings and cars.

__

Where did it come from? was Clark's thought, when suddenly he saw two masked men run out of the bank, jumping into a car. He then saw a security guard run out attempting to shoot at the car, but the guard was woozy from the encounter inside, and missed by a long shot. The robbers then turned the corner, and Clark dipped into an alley. He looked quickly around him, and assured he was safe, he shot off, using his x-ray vision to follow the vehicle. He followed the robbers out to the countryside, keeping hidden through bursts of speed and hiding in fields. When Clark was sure no one would see them, he ran out in front of the car, attempting to make the robbers run off the road.

Inside the car, the robbers were surprised to see a person run out, so they swerved to the right, into the ditch on the side of the road. The robbers kept on the gas, trying to make their getaway in light of almost hitting a kid. When they got back on the road, one of the robbers looked out of the back window, trying to see the kid and to see if they hit him.

"Hey dudes. Um… Where's the kid?" the robber asked.

"Who cares, we have to get away."

Just as he said that, Clark popped up again in front of the car, this time too close for the robbers to swerve and not hit him. Clark braced for the impact, holding his hands out to catch the hood of the car. The car hit Clark and pushed him back a few feet. The robbers inside flew forward, hitting their heads on the interior in front of them. This knocked two of them out, the third slightly dazed from the impact. Clark then walked up to the car, and using x-ray vision, checked for life threatening injuries. He saw the third robber start to get out, and walked over and pulled the door off the car and yanked the robber out. Lifting him up with ease, Clark said:

"I wish you hadn't done that. Now you wasted my time and ripped my clothes, and you are going to pay." Clark said menacingly. He then knocked him out with a quick jab across the face and put him back in the car.

Clark then pulled the car over to the side of the road, up to a phone pole. He had to make this look convincing, so he would not be found out. He then knocked the phone pole down. Satisfied with his work, he then called the police from his cell phone. After he called, he then sprinted towards home, moving as fast as he could to avoid detection. The police arrived soon afterwards and arrested the robbers. They believed they had run off the road during their getaway and had crashed.

When Clark arrived at home a few seconds later, his parents were in the kitchen wondering why he left in such a hurry.

"Hey, what happened? Your shirt's all ripped." Clark's mom asked.

"I heard another cry for help. This time from the bank. Three guys robbed it, and had tried to escape. I arrived in downtown in just enough time to see them flee. I then chased them and stopped them by having them run into me with their car. They hit me at a pretty high speed and knocked two of them out. The third I hit to knock him out. I then made it look like a car accident. I called the police afterwards, and ran back here." Clark said, coming down from his adrenaline rush.

"What about that guy you knocked out, do you think he will remember you?" Clark's dad asked.

"I don't think so, he was kind of dazed before I knocked him out. But also no one would believe him, because his friends didn't see it." Clark said rationally. He then went up to his room, wondering what he was going to say when saw Chloe.

Chloe was in her room, still holding the phone when Clark abruptly hung up. She had gotten over her initial shock, but she was more furious with him than before. _How could he just hang up on me? I was so close to forgiving him, if he only said some part of the truth. He makes me so angry sometimes. But this takes the cake. He has never hung up on me._

"Arghhhhhh!" she screamed as she threw the phone across the room. It shattered into a dozen or so pieces and left a nice dent in the drywall. She then plopped down on the bed and started crying. She could think of nothing else to do. Millions of thoughts ran through her mind, ranging from another girl to him blowing her off to chill with other friends. She was angry and upset. She wanted to scream at Clark and hit him. He deserved it for the shit he has been pulling this week. Just then her father came in.

"What was that? I heard a crash." He looked around the room, checking for any signs of an intruder, his parental instincts driving his smaller reactions.

"Nothing. I threw the phone across the room and it broke." Chloe said, calming down from crying a little.

"Why did you do that?" her father sat next to her as he said this.

"Clark hung up on me and gave me a lame excuse for dipping out on me today. And I felt that the phone was the closest thing I could destroy without getting a jail sentence." she said half pissed off, half sarcastically.

"Well, that's a good sign, I think. So what are you going to do about Clark?"

"Torture him. I want to know why he has the need to lie to me."

"Maybe he is planning something big he doesn't want you to know about."

"Unlikely, because there is nothing to celebrate, and he would have a smile for too long."

"Well, then I don't know. But Clark is not a person who lies without a reason."

"True. But I hate not knowing, and I hate being stood up."

"Just give him time. He will tell eventually." her dad said as he got up to go downstairs. "What do you say we go out to ice cream in a few minutes? It might get your mind off things."

"As long as we stop off for coffee first."

"Then we have a deal." With that, her father left.

Chloe was calmer and had a clearer head. _Maybe dad is right. Clark never lies without a reason, and he normally tells some part of the truth eventually. But he will still have to make it up to me._ With that thought, she got up to go change.

Back at the Kent farm, Clark was lying on top of his bed, staring at the ceiling. He was wondering what to tell Chloe when his mother walked in the room. Clark made no acknowledgement of her when she walked in, so she walked over and looked down on him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, knowing something was up.

"Not really." Clark replied, still looking up at the ceiling.

"Come on. It's Chloe isn't it?"

"How did you know?"

"It's a mother thing."

"Yeah. It is her. I hate not being able to tell her the truth. It is really making it harder for us to be friends. I keep having to leave at the wrong moments and it is really pissing her off. I don't want to lose her."

"I know. But this is who you are. You are a person who can't stop helping those in need. It is a good quality. But is will get in the way of things. You will just have to be better at leaving her without hurting her."

"But how?" he said as he sat up

"You'll have to figure it out for yourself. If it happens at a restaurant, you can excuse yourself for the bathroom."

"What if we are alone or in the car?"

"You'll have to make a choice. You can either go help the person, or you can stay with Chloe. But both have consequences."

"I know."

"You feel any better?"

"A little."

"Good. I'll be downstairs if you want to talk some more."

"Thanks mom."

"That's what I am here for." and she left with that thought.

Clark laid back down on his bed, and continued thinking about what he should do next. He decided to go over to Chloe's and talk with her. Face to face. He got up and went downstairs. He got the keys to the truck, told his parents where he was going and went towards the truck. He got in and was about to turn the ignition when a thought occurred to him and sat with the car off. _What do I say to her after I say I am sorry?_

TBC


	5. Confrontation

Sorry for taking so long again. Just started College. Had no free time. Here comes the next part of this episode.

_What should I say? All I have is the truth, but she'll freak. I tried lying, and that went over "real" well. Dammit. Why couldn't I just be normal and have normal problems, like cutting myself shaving? Or forgetting her birthday? God!   
  
Clark sat in the truck, trying to figure out what to do. He was torn between his fear and his guilt. If he could just tell the truth, he would be out of this predicament. But it would put him in another one. One he has dreaded for a long time, one that could destroy his life and his hopes of keeping Chloe. Clark looks up, hoping for a sign from God, his real parents, or something to tell him what to do. All he sees is a starry night. __Looks like I am on my own. Clark then starts the ignition, thinking he'll think of something on the way. With that, he pulls out of the driveway and on to the highway.   
  
Clark pulls up to the Sullivan household, parking in his usual spot on the street. He sits in the truck, still wondering what he is going to say to Chloe. __This is going to be tough. I have no clue what I am going to say. I don't even remember what I told her when I hung up. I know it was a lie. Agggggh! I hate this lying stuff. I wish I never was born with these powers. They never help in these situations. He banged his head against the steering wheel. Right then, a thought came to him. He could tell the truth, just not the whole truth. He could say he saved a woman's life, while he was out trying to buy flowers for her. __No, that won't work, because I didn't bring the flowers with me to Pete's, and I also couldn't explain why I had to lie about it. This is going to be harder than I thought. I guess the only thing to do is to tell her who I am. That is the only way to get out of this. But it will mean that Chloe and I will be over, and I will not be able to keep my powers a secret any longer. He moved to get out of the truck, but had another thought hit him. __What about my parents? I can't drag them into this. They will be the first to be hurt. This hero stuff is not easy. I wish this never happened. I wish I had died in that meteor shower. I need some advice. He then pulls out his cell phone and makes a call to his mother. She would know what to say to Chloe.   
  
"Hello?" came the voice over the phone.   
"Mom, it's Clark. I need some advice. I can't think of anything to tell Chloe. Nothing I have thought has come up with a chance of working. The only thing I have come up with is telling the truth, but it would make her run away in disgust. What do I say?" he asked, hoping that she would know.   
"Um… hmmmm. This is going to be tough. Does she have any girls she doesn't like?" Martha could barely believe she was helping her son lie to his girlfriend. She also can't believe she has to think of ways for Clark to get into trouble.   
"She doesn't like Teresa Jacobs. She thinks that Teresa is a slut." Clark said, remembering some of Chloe's ramblings.   
"Clark, this is going to sound strange…" Martha started to say.   
"Anything so I can repair this damage."   
"Well, Clark, this won't repair the damage, but it will get you out of hot water eventually. Tell Chloe that she cornered you and made a move right before school got out. She kissed you and you kissed back, not really thinking. Then you left with her, forgetting your priorities, to a little rendezvous at her house. When you got your senses back, you realized what you did and stopped the encounter. You couldn't face Chloe, or even admit it. And you felt so guilty that you could barely look at her. I know it isn't the best thing to say, but it will explain enough." She could barley believe her words. She was telling her son a lie that a creep would use to apologize for his actions. But this was the only way that she could keep his secret.   
"That is not going to help matters. It could drive the wedge further between us." Clark said back, hoping there was another alternative.   
"I know it won't, but we have to keep your powers a secret. This is the only way I can think of that will explain things so she can eventually get over her hurt."   
"I'll try, I just hope this works. Thanks."   
"I hope so too. I love you."   
"Love you, bye."   
"Bye."   
  
Clark hung up the phone and got out of the truck. He walked to her door and knocked. As he was waiting, he noticed her dad's car was not there, but that was normal. Her father rarely got home on time. After about a minute, he knocked again, this time louder. He waited for some acknowledgement, but heard nothing. He decided to check to see if she was even home before jumping to conclusions. He quickly x-rayed the house, looking for life. All he saw was the cat. __Great.__ The time I choose to explain what has happened, she isn't home. Typical of my luck. I might as well wait. No sense in leaving, it will just prolong her anger, and my guilt. Clark sat down on the swing on the front porch and waited. He thought about the past few days, and wondered how Pete was doing. Since he gained his new power and had his trouble with Chloe, he had completely forgotten about Pete. He made a mental note to see him the next day.   
  
At the local ice cream shop, Chloe sat in a booth across from her father, moving the ice cream around in her cup. She wasn't exactly hungry, her mind was somewhere else. Well, more to the fact, on someone else. She was thinking about Clark, trying to find a reason for him to lie to her. Her mind came up with a million and a half possibilities, not a single one matching what little evidence she had.   
  
"What's wrong, Chloe, your ice cream not any good?" her father asked, instinctively knowing that that was far from the truth.   
"No. It's fine," Chloe said as she came out of her thoughts. "It's Clark. I just can't seem to figure out any good reason for him to lie to me. And none of the typical reasons fit him. He never cheats. He never breaks dates, and he never tries to hurt me. I just want to know and be done with it. It is too frustrating to be in the dark. I know it can't be that bad, he is a pure soul." Chloe said, her tone disappointed.   
"Chloe, I know he has a good reason, but maybe the reason will hurt more if he tells you. Some things should be left in the dark. Some secrets can't be told." Her father said, knowing from personal experience the problems of secrets.   
"I know. But it still irritates me. I have pretty much forgiven him for his mistake, I just want to know. Agggggh. It is so frustrating." Chloe said, trying to get her feelings out without causing a scene._

"Just give him time. It will come to light eventually. You ready to go?" her dad said, knowing that Chloe wasn't really into the ice cream parlor anymore.

"Yeah, let's go. I have work to do, and I have to purge some emotion." Chloe said, picking up her bag.

As Chloe's dad's car pulled onto their street, Chloe noticed Clark's truck parked outside her house on the street. _He finally decided to confront me. Maybe he'll stay for the whole thing this time, Chloe's rage slowly resurfacing._

Clark looked up as Chloe's dad's pick up pulled into the driveway. He was sitting on the front porch swing, contemplating his story, trying to make it believable. Chloe opened the passenger door, stepping out with determination. The look on her face could make a hardened warrior shrink away in fear. There were flames in her eyes, and Clark was the intended roast. Clark stood, and was thinking to himself, _I hope this works. No time to back out now without letting my secret out._

Chloe's dad got out as well, his eyes telling Clark that his prayers were with him. He walked past Clark, into the house. He gave Clark one last look, and shut the front door. Clark watched him walk in, and then looked towards Chloe when the door slammed. He thought _Oh God, please let her accept this reason, I don't think I can take her anger._

"Chloe." Clark said, his voice quivering with fear.

"What do you want?" Chloe said flatly, her displeasure dripping from her words.

"I came over to explain what happened the other day, why I was late." Clark said, trying to hide his fear.

"Ok, so let's have it. What is the great explanation?"

Clark then told his lie, looking away from her so he didn't have to watch the hurt rise in her eyes. "I am so sorry, Chloe. I never wanted to hurt you. I love you." He looked at her, and seeing his damage and he felt his stomach turn, his disgust with himself for lying to her becoming a physical ailment.

Chloe stared, her eyes welling up with tears, but despite the water in her eyes, the flames burned hotter and faster in her eyes. She stood for a few seconds, before she raised her hand and slapped Clark, as hard as she could. As soon as she did, she broke into tears, mostly from the pain of hearing his explanation, but partly from her slap. Her hand stung from hitting his iron jaw. She then pushed past him and ran into the house.

"Chloe!" Clark called after her, but as soon as he got her name out of his mouth, the door slammed, pictures inside clattering to the floor. Clark looked down, ashamed of what he did. _I feel as bad as if I had done what I told her I did. He walked to his truck, and started it up. He drove back home, and sat in the car, head on the steering wheel. __What have I done? Tears began to come out of his eyes, he hated himself. He hated his abilities, he hated that he came to earth. He wished he had never come here. Everyone would be better off if his spaceship never came here._


	6. Lies only beget more lies

Inside the Kent farmhouse, Martha watched vigilantly out the window for her son. She saw him pull up, and walked to the door. She looked through the screen for Clark to be solemnly walking up, but she didn't see him. She looked to the truck, and saw him still sitting there, head on the steering wheel. She waited at the door for him to walk out. Jonathan came up behind her, looking as well. He put his hands on her shoulder in comfort, waiting for Clark to come out.  
  
Ten minutes passed, and Clark hadn't moved. Martha was getting more worried every second; finally she walked out to the truck and tapped on the window. Clark snapped up in surprise. His face showed tear lines, and his eyes were red from the crying. Martha looked at him, tears nearly coming to her eyes because her boy was in pain.  
  
"Clark, are you ok?" she asked, knowing the answer from his face. "No. I hurt her. I hurt her twice. I promised her I would never hurt her. And I did." Clark said, emotion overwhelming him as he said it. "I hate doing this to her. I wish I could tell her. But I don't want to lose her. She'd be disgusted by me." The tears let loose again, and Clark turned away, trying to hide his face. Martha stood there, unable to speak. She did not know how she could make him feel better; he did the right thing in saving that woman's life, but at the cost of his relationship with Chloe. She wished she could do something, but the only respite would come from Chloe.  
  
After about twenty minutes outside, Clark finally came in the house. He walked straight to his room, not even stopping to talk to his father. When he got into his room, he collapsed on the bed, staring at the ceiling. How am I going to make things better? There is no reason for her to even want to speak to me, let alone be my girlfriend.  
  
Downstairs, Martha and Jonathan talked about what happened. Martha filled him in on the details, and telling him the lie Clark used. Jonathan agreed it was the best thing to say at the time, but he wished it would never have come to this.  
  
"Clark has really gotten himself into some serious trouble. It will be a long time before Chloe will forgive him, if ever." Jonathan said. "I know, all we can do is hope that she will send most of her anger over to Teresa." Martha said.  
  
At the Sullivan household, Chloe is in her room, crying her eyes out over the incident. She had been doing this for over an hour now. She had already shattered Clark's picture against the door in a fit of rage. There was glass on the floor where the picture frame had shattered. There was a knock at the door.  
  
"Come in," Chloe said, trying to make herself understandable through her tears. "Hey, sport. How are you feeling?" Mr. Sullivan said, walking through the door, hearing the crunching of the glass under his shoes. "I hate Clark. That about sums it up." Chloe said matter-of-factly. "Why do you hate him?" Mr. Sullivan asked, he was as of yet unaware of the details of the encounter outside, only the aftermath. Chloe ran upstairs crying after slamming the door. "Well," Chloe began, wiping a tear from her cheek. "He said that he was approached by that bitch, sorry but I am really pissed right now, Teresa and that she made a pass at him and that he was whisked away to her house for a little private fun. He said they didn't get too far before he realized what he was doing and stopped the encounter and that was when he came over to Pete's. And that is why I hate Clark. He has never done that before, and I know he has been hit on before. I want to beat the crap out of him. He had the gall to expect me to accept that as an apology. The fact of him getting jiggy with it with another woman, with none other than the biggest slut in Smallville, makes me so angry."  
  
"What did you say after he said all of this?" Mr. Sullivan asked, wanting to know the full incident. "I said nothing. I slapped him with all my strength. Then I ran inside, slamming the door. And the rest you saw." She subconsciously rubbed her hand that she slapped Clark with. It still hurt, the stinging coming back every time she moved her hand. She put her hand on the bed, and her father grasped it.  
  
"Ouch!" Chloe yelped, the pressure from her father's hand sending waves of pain through her hand. "What?" Mr. Sullivan said, letting go of his daughter's hand. "My hand hurts from when I slapped him. It hurts when I move it." "Lemme see it." Mr. Sullivan inspected it as gently as he could, feeling for broken bones. "I think we need to see the doctor. It may be broken." He said, a quizzical look coming over his face. "You sure he didn't hurt you by grabbing your hand or anything?" Mr. Sullivan looked at Chloe, wanting to know if Clark had touched and harmed his little girl.  
  
"No, he didn't even come within a foot of me. The only contact we had was when I slapped him. Why?" She looked at her hand and at her father. "Because I don't know of anyone who has a jaw that strong." Mr. Sullivan said picking up the phone to call the hospital to find out what to do about a broken hand. "Neither do I, or at least I didn't until just recently." She looked at her hand again, wondering how she hurt it on Clark's face. Her hate was temporarily displaced by her curiosity of the injury she just incurred. She has a lot to ask Clark when she sees him.  
  
Monday arrives and Clark is getting ready for school. He slowly gets ready, dreading the inevitable. He will see Chloe today, unless by the off chance she stays home today. Yeah, right. It wouldn't be the Chloe I know. She does the Torch rain or shine, and to do so, she has to be in school. I wish I never said that lie. I should have come up with something better.  
  
"Clark! The bus is here!" Martha called out from downstairs, getting breakfast cleared from the table. Clark flew downstairs at super speed, grabbing a banana and a muffin before slowing to "normal" running speed. The bus started to pull away, but Clark inched his speed up to where he was "sprinting" to catch the bus. It finally stopped and opened its doors. Clark boarded the bus and looked for Chloe. She was not on the bus. Maybe her dad gave her a ride. She probably didn't want to have to deal with seeing me at 7:30 in the morning. Just then he noticed a face he hadn't seen in awhile. Pete was sitting in his usual spot, which until now was filled in by random persons over the course of the last few days.  
  
"Hey, Pete. Long time no see," Clark said, hiding his former thoughts in a big Kent smile. "Yeah, it has been a long time. Mom is still getting over it, but the sun rises everyday, so things are bound to get better. Have you seen Chloe? She didn't get on at her stop," Pete said. "No, not since we had a blow out over the weekend." "What happened?" Great. Now the lie must continue. I hate lying. I wish that this would all go away. I wish my powers were still in Eric's body. Then I could just be me without lying. "This is going to sound really bad, because it involves you, too. Remember the day that I came over, the day when Chloe was there and was assuring you that I would be there?" "Yeah..." "Well, I was late because of Teresa. She cornered me after school, and we went to her house. When we were there, we began to fool around a little. But as I was taking her blouse off, I realized what I was doing and put an end to it. I left her house as fast as I could. As I was driving, I remembered that I was supposed to go to see you. I turned the truck and headed over to your place." "You what?!?!?!?" Pete exclaimed in an angry tone. "I told you it was bad." "Wait, you're telling me that the biggest slut in our school, cornered good ol' boy Clark Kent, and made you forget about the woman you are in love with. To top it off, whisked you away right before you were going to see me, when I was grieving for my dad. That is bull, Clark. I can't believe you would do something like that. To her or to me. Move. You seriously screwed yourself. I don't want to talk to you right now. Get out of my face!"  
  
As he yelled at Clark, he moved to a different seat, far away from Clark. Clark just stood there, watching his friendship disappear right before his eyes. He's right, I seriously screwed myself. And that was the nail in the coffin; my powers have officially taken everyone I care about away from me. I wish I had never come here in that meteor shower. Then none of this would have happened. Just then, Clark hears a scream. He snaps his head in the direction it came from. This time, he didn't need to go to x-ray. He saw where the scream came from. The car heading for the bus, head-on.  
  
Clark watched in slow motion, though to everyone else it was happening at normal speed. He ran up the aisle, and jumped through the windshield, landing 20 feet from the bus. He then ran, at super speed, to the back of the car grabbing the fender as he went by it. He then pulled, with all of his might, the car backwards, reversing the car's direction. He dragged the car to the opposite side of the road, and put it on the shoulder. He lifted the rear axel of the car so it would not drive off. He gave it a light toss, and removed the driver from the car at super speed. He got the driver out in just enough time, because the rear axel hit the ground and the car ran off. He placed the driver in the grass, and then ran off to catch the car as it swerved with no driver. He caught it and stopped it, moving it to the grass as well. He stood back and took a breath. The rescue took a lot out of him. He stood with his hands on his knees, taking deep breaths. He looked over at the bus, which had begun slowing to a stop. He realized he had to get out of there before anyone began asking questions. He then bolted towards home, thinking of how he would explain his sudden departure from the bus to Pete, and anyone else that might have noticed his disappearance.  
  
On the bus, the students sat in stunned silence, wondering what had just happened. One second, there was a car hurtling towards the bus; the next, the car was gone and the windshield was shattered. Pete looked stunned as well, but for a different reason. He could have sworn he saw Clark run to the front of the bus and jump through the windshield. He looked around for Clark, but Clark was nowhere to be found. What just happened here? 


End file.
